List of Croat Albanians

This is a list of Croat Albanians that includes both Croat people of Albanian descent and Albanian immigrants that have resided in Croatia. The list is sorted by the fields or occupations in which the notable individual has maintained the most influence.

For inclusion in this list, each individual must have a Wikipedia article indicating notability and show that they are Albanian and have lived in Croatia.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

History and politics

• Giovanni Renesi – Albanian military captain and mercenary^[1][2]
• Giacomo Vuxani – Albanian-Italian politician
• Božidar Kalmeta – Croatian politician and member of the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party
• Nikola Spanić - Roman Catholic prelate of and nobleman of Korčula
• Valter Flego – Croatian politician, mayor of Buzet and prefect (Župan) of Istria County
• Aleksandar Stipčević - archeologist and historian
• Šime (Simeone) Duka – secretary of Vatican archives^[3]
• Ratimir Kalmeta – geographer and linguist^[4]
• Đani Maršan (b. 1944) – singer, musician, diplomat and Croatian Consul^[5][6]
• Gjon Gazulli - Albanian Dominican friar, humanist scholar, and diplomat
• Ivo Perović - Regent of Yugoslavia for the underage Peter II from 1934 to 194
• Valter Dešpalj – cellist and professor on Academy of Music in Zagreb^[7]
• Ermina Lekaj Prljaskaj – Croatian politician and lawyer serving as a member of the Sabor since 2011^[8]

• 
  Giacomo Vuxani
• 
  Božidar Kalmeta
• 
  Valter Flego

Military

• Agim Çeku - Commander in the Croatian War of Independence in Croatian Army
• Rahim Ademi - Croatian Army general of Kosovo-Albanian origin
• Ivica Matešić Jeremija – writer, military diplomat and holder of the Order of Danica Hrvatska for culture^[9]

• 
  Agim Çeku
• 
  Rahim Ademi

Musicians

• Šime Dešpalj – composer, music teacher, writer^[10]
• Pavle Dešpalj – music conductor and composer, member of HAZU^[7]
• Marie Kraja – Albanian opera singer
• Vlado Kalember – Croatian singer
• Bepo Matešić – tenor singer^[11][12]
• Valter Dešpalj – cellist and a professor at the Zagreb Academy of Music
• Mladen Grdović – Croatian pop singer
• Ennio Stipčević (b. 1959) - musicologist, member of HAZU^[9]

• 
  Pavle Dešpalj
• 
  Marie Kraja
• 
  Valter Dešpalj

Cinema

• Anita Berisha – Croatian actress
• Helena Bulaja – Croatian multimedia artist, director and producer
• Nera Stipičević – Croatian actress^[13]

Religious

• Ivan Prenđa - Roman Catholic archbishop of the Archdiocese of Zadar
• Janko Šimrak – bishop of the Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Križevci
• Nikola Kekić – bishop of the Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Križevci

Sport

• Josip Gjergja - Former Croatian basketball player
• Vilson Džoni - Former Croatian footballer
• Ardian Kozniku - Former Croatian footballer
• Kujtim Shala - Former Croatian footballer
• Besart Abdurahimi - Croatian-Albanian footballer
• Arijan Ademi – Macedonian professional footballer who plays for GNK Dinamo Zagreb and Macedonian national team^[14]
• Toni Domgjoni – Swiss-Croatian footballer who plays for FC Zürich as a midfielder
• Neven Spahija - Croatian professional basketball coach
• Pëllumb Jusufi - Croatian-Macedonian football player
• Edo Flego – Croatian footballer and football manager
• Ivan Bulaja – Croatian sailor and sailing trainer
• Zedi Ramadani - Croatian footballer
• Anas Sharbini - Croatian footballer ^[15][16]
• Ahmad Sharbini - Croatian footballer ^[17][18]
• Hrvoje Macanović – sport journalist^[3]
• Agron Preteni - Croatian kick boxer
• Herdi Prenga - Albanian footballer^[19]
• Elvir Maloku - Albanian footballer
• Bogdan Cuvaj - Croatian football manager
• Mario Musa - Croatian professional footballer playing for Dinamo Zagreb
• Tomislav Duka - Croatian footballer
• Enver Idrizi - Karateka and former World Champion
• Rok Stipčević - Croatian professional basketball player^[20]
• Agron Rufati - Croatia-born professional footballer
• Elvir Gigolaj - footballer
• Leonard Bisaku - footballer
• Ivan Jakov Džoni - footballer
• Fatjesa Gegollaj - footballer
• Miranda Tatari - Croatian handball player
• Adrijana Lekaj - Kosovan–Croatian professional tennis player^[21]
• Jan Palokaj - professional basketball player
• Art Smakaj - footballer^[22]

• 
  Arijan Ademi
• 
  Anas Sharbini
• 
  Neven Spahija
• 
  Mario Musa
• 
  Rok Stipčević

Media

• Kruno Krstić – lexicographer^[3]
• Josip Vladović Relja – writer^[3][5][6]

See also

• Albanians of Croatia

References

1. Floristán, José M. (2019). "Stradioti albanesi al servizio degli Asburgo di Spagna (I): le famiglie albanesi Bua, Crescia e Renesi". Shêjzat – Pleiades (1–2): 37.
2. Albanische Forschungen (in German) (Translation: This Captain Renesi is our old acquaintance Giovanni Renesi: He was probably of Albanian origin, but came from the town of Zara. Four names of his family are known to us - Giorgio (Zorzi), who is called "governator". ed.). O. Harrassowitz. 1974. pp. 190–193. ISBN 9783447015530. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
3. "Vicko Zmajević - mecena i dobrotvor" (in Croatian). Narodni list. 2016-05-14. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
4. Milan Nosić (2006). "Život i djelo Ratimira Kalmete". Riječ - časopis Za Slavensku Filologiju (in Croatian). 12 (3). Rijeka: Hrvatsko filološko društvo: 7–22. ISSN 1330-917X.
5. "Arbanasi slave 290 godina od dolaska u Zadar" (in Croatian). 057info.hr. 2016-05-10. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
6. "U Zadar Su Došli Prije 290 Godina "Arbanasi: jesu li više Hrvati, Albanci ili Talijani?"" (in Croatian). Zadarski.hr. 2016-05-02. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
7. "Zadarski Velikani U Obnovi Kneževe Palače Pavle Dešpalj: Nadam se da će palača opet biti dom Zadarskom komornom orkestru jer on to i zaslužuje" (in Croatian). Zadarski.hr. 2017-02-08. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
8. "Rezultati - Izbori za zastupnike u Hrvatski sabor 2024". Izbori. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
9. Petar Jurić (2016-05-10). "Došli prije 290 godina: Ovisno o vremenu i općim prilikama, u Arbanasima je bilo i prohrvata i pravaša i projugoslavena i protalijana i fašista i komunista i žestokih rimokatolika…" (in Croatian). Antena Zadar. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
10. Pavao Jerolimov (2009-02-17). "Na današnji dan: Šime Dešpalj" (in Croatian). Zadarski list. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
11. Tatjana Pacek (2015-06-22). "Priznanje Mladena Grdovića 'Nisam alkoholičar, već sam alergičan na alkohol. Jedna bevanda i mene odnese!'" (in Croatian). Jutarnji list. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
12. Irena Jurjević (2010-10-11). "Najbolja snaga je dobra čaša crnog vina i jedna slana srdela" (in Croatian). Zadarski list. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
13. "Arbanasi su se prvo doselili u Zemunik". 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
14. Damjan Tratnik (25 July 2012). "Heerenveen ali Dinamo?" (in Slovenian). Nogomania.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
15. "Shqipëria sinonim i Brazilit në Evropë (Foto)". Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
16. "Shqiptarët, brazilianët e Europës". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
17. "Shqipëria sinonim i Brazilit në Evropë (Foto)". Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
18. "Shqiptarët, brazilianët e Europës". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
19. Besnik Prenga National-Football-Teams.com
20. "Arbanasi su se prvo doselili u Zemunik". 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
21. "Adrijana Lekaj". www.billiejeankingcup.com.
22. "Lokomotiva Zagreb vs. Hajduk Split 3–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 December 2021.